Automobile-rack.



J. A. MASON.

AUTOMOBILE RACK. APPLICATION FILED APR. 1,1907.

7 |/l// TNESSES 7- 9 Q jj W1 PATENTE-D NOV. 5, 1907.

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Specification oi Letters Patent.

Patented n t. 5, 19 97..

Application filed April 1. 1907; Serial No. 365.725.

, type with a folding rack secured to the rear end of the vehicle andadapted. to support any'desired articles of baggage, or supplies and tobe folded out of the way when not required for use.

As here illustrated, thedevice consists of rigid, horizontal arms, ands. folding member pivoted thereto, and projecting rearwardly when in useand upwardly when folded, its flattened marginal rail being furnishedwith metal loops ior passage of the baggage straps and stops beingprovided near the pivot tolimit the downward movement of thefoldingmember when it reaches a horizontal position. Said arms and marginalrail will be of strap ironlorjsteel set edgewise, united by a.continuous rod as a pivot, other rods, parallel thereto, preferablycompleting the folding member.. The device has support at its pivotalpoints by means of two upright suspension rods therefrom having at top athread and nut connection with the vehicle body or seat.

In the drawings,Figures 1 and 2 are side views of part of an automobilewith my improvement applied thereto, and shown respectively in thespread and the folded position. Fig. 3 is a plan of the device, spreadfor use, and Fig. 4 an upright perspective view on a smaller scale,showing the rack folded.

The supporting arms 5 are rigidly secured to the vehicle body 6, bybolts or otherwise, the edgewise position shown utilizing the strengthof the material to the best advantage. 7 represents the margin of thefolding rack, bent to form three sides of its rectangular body andpivoted terminally to said arms by a. continuous rod 8 forming thefourth side of such body. Other rods tom and furnished with adjustablenuts 12 above and below it, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. Thesesuspension rods form vertical supports against which the baggage maybear. They are prefers ly bent into a.

. ring at foot to encircle the pivot rod 8, while their upright portionsare in close proximity with the parts of the folded rack (see Figs. 1, 2and 4). 'In Fig. 3, the ring portion of each rod 10' is shown at thepivoted ends. of the rack margin 7.

A suitable form of stop device is illustrated in Figsl, 2 and 4 forsupporting the rack in its spread position. The outer ends of the arms 5terminate in an offset or recess 13 to engage a corresponding projection14 formed on or fixed to the marginal arm 7 of the rack near to thepivot 8. These members of the step engage and disengage in the twopositions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The construction may be modified,within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from thespirit of my invention. Loops 15, (Figs. 3 and 4) are provided toreceive the baggage strap.

l disclaim a detachable luggage carrier for bicycles, such as is shownin U. S. Patent No. 767,823, that device being suspended from'thehandle-bar and having no supports rigidly secured to the vehicle; butthe rack and luggage thereon made to swing with every move? ment of thehandle-bar and stem. This would be wholly unsuitable for automobileuses.

I claim as my invention:

1. A folding rack for automobiles and the llke, comprising a skeletonframe of rigid material pivoted at its lowercorners to projectingsupports rigidly secured to the vehicle, thedevlce having also dependingsupports connecting it to the sent-base, for the purpose set forth.

2. The improved automobile rack described, comprising rigid horizontalarms and a folding member, pivoted thereto, formed marginally ot'strapsteel set edgewise, its end portions being bent lnto parallelism andconnected by par allel rods, one of said rods forming the fourthor-lower side of sold member and the pivot which unites It to said arms,each arm projecting beyond the pivot and formed with a stop to supportthe folding member when spread, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have atfixed my' signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN A. MASON.

Witnesses A. H. SPENCER, G. F; BUTTEBFIELD.

